I'm a highly-trained experienced professional singer. Do your musicianship lessons/classes have something to offer me?
Definitely! Professional singers bring us a variety of problems to solve, such as:
"My teacher/accompanist says my interpretation is mechanical."
"My teacher/accompanist says I'm doing this wrong but I don't understand the problem."
"I know I'm doing this wrong but I can't do (or perhaps can't remember) the correct version."
"I lose the beat through this section."
"I can't follow the conductor."
"I get lost in these sequences."
"I can't sing a harmony part. I keep getting pulled to another voice."
I took classes in theory and musicianship in school and never understood or learned to read properly. Can I benefit from your work?
Sight singing and ear training are usually taught from an intellectual standpoint. People who have a good background in performing plus an extensive knowledge of music theory find our approach pulls it all together. You will learn music more quickly. The composer wrote the interpretation on the page by his/her selection of certain rhythms, pitches, and chords; our new understanding will profoundly influence your interpretation, allowing you to touch your audience more deeply.
I'm a conductor. Do you have anything to offer me?
Alicia has taught a professional conductor with her own chorus who already had a DMA in conducting. The student discovered the emotional connection between all the intellectual concepts she learned. The new approach is already changing the way she works with her choir, and there is a greater immediacy to the way she interprets music.
Sight Singing
Do you teach sight singing/ear training by using numbers, fixed Do, or moveable Do?
The great teacher Nadia Boulanger said that both moveable and fixed Do have value. Moveable Do works well for learning most tonal music and fixed Do for atonal music. Moveable Do is the best for learning the emotional content of each note because the feeling and syllable are consistent from key to key. Numbers work well for instrumentalists but leave singers confused when dealing with chromatic tones. I prefer to teach moveable Do but have taught the other systems as well.
Should I try to learn moveable Do if I learned fixed Do?
Definitely. Fixed Do is a system of naming notes and is very necessary for international communication. However, it is not really a viable method for sight singing because it ignores the position or function of a note (that is, its emotional content) within its tonality. The famous teacher Nadia Boulanger recommended that musicians learn both! My students who have learned fixed Do first have learned to be “bilingual.” They find that moveable Do makes reading music easier. One Chinese student who learned fixed Do said it took him two years to learn to sight-sing adequately using fixed Do. In one semester with me and moveable Do, he was thrilled at how quickly he learned and how much more efficient moveable Do is.
Can you help me deal with learning or physical disabilities?
I have learning disabilities myself and required special accommodations for my Ph.D. comprehensives. After my theory comps, I was told they were among the best in the history of the school! I even taught a person who was missing his right hand how to play the guitar. I know how to help you overcome difficulties patiently and compassionately. Like running water, you will find a path around any obstacle.
How long does it take to learn?
There is no single answer to this question. It certainly depends on your prior experience, your abilities, and how much time you have to practice. It takes only a few months of lessons to acquire a basic understanding and control, but most students enjoy ongoing study because they constantly improve.
Can you help me if I can’t carry a tune in a bucket?
Almost definitely! True “tin ears” are as rare as total blindness. Several of my students began like this. Within a year, they were singing in their church choirs.
Why should I do this at my age?
Three reasons: Because you like music, because it will help keep your brain healthy, and mostly because it's fun!
General
I want to learn but don't have much time. How much do I need to practice?
For instruments (guitar and ukulele), you will see improvement if you can find 15-30 minutes daily. Of course the more time you spend, the more quickly you’ll improve. Family or work responsibilities might intrude making practicing impossible. Alicia is fine with students going into "maintenance mode," that is, just taking lessons without practicing—there is always something you can learn even if you haven’t prepared last week’s lesson. My studio is stress-free. You can maintain contact with your love of music without worry or guilt.
Can you help me deal with learning disabilities?
I patiently and compassionately understand such issues, since I have similar issues. Several of my students have had severe learning and physical disabilities. Like running water, you will find a path around the obstacles. Together we will happily succeed.
How long does it take to learn?
There is no single answer to this question. It takes only a few months of lessons to acquire a basic understanding and control, but most students enjoy ongoing study because they constantly improve.
Why should I do this at my age?
Three reasons: Because you like music, because it will help keep your brain healthy, and mostly because it's fun!